During a special meeting Tuesday, the Montrose County Board of County Commissioners voted to accept the resignations of County Manager Frank Rodriguez, County Attorney Marti Whitmore, and Assistant County Manager Emily Sanchez. Both Whitmore and Sanchez submitted their resignations after Rodriguez, who was asked to step down by Commissioners Scott Mijares and Scott Pond.

Before the meeting began, Board Chair Scott Mijares addressed the packed room and announced that public comment would not be taken.

“Due to the limited and sensitive nature of this agenda, public comment will not be taken,” Mijares said. “I believe this is the most appropriate approach to maintaining order, integrity in the process, and compliance with Colorado law.”

The announcement was met with boos from the audience.

The first agenda item was a motion by Mijares to approve the resignations of both Rodriguez and Whitmore, as well as authorization of the chair’s signature on a personnel action notice formalizing the departures. Commissioner Scott Pond seconded the motion.

“I’m concerned about that wording,” said Commissioner Sue Hansen. “Was this reviewed by our legal team?”

“This was provided by our assistant county attorney,” Mijares responded.

“Is this all according to their contracts?” Hansen asked.

That was answers with a “yes.”

The vote passed with ayes from Mijares and Pond. Hansen’s vote was inaudible.

The board then moved to consider the hiring of outside legal counsel—another item that Hansen pushed back against.

WATCH VIDEO FROM THE TUESDAY MEETING HERE

“Imagine my surprise,” she said, “that on April 2nd, a risk assessment mentioned outside counsel for a contract. I assumed it was about the North Campus, because that’s what we were discussing at the time. Then yesterday, it wasn’t on the work session agenda. And now—suddenly—it’s here, and we’re hiring outside counsel for employment law?”

“There’s been no discussion,” she continued. “No conversation. We have a very competent HR person. We have legal counsel in-house. I’m not really sure why we need an additional law firm at additional cost.”

Mijares responded: “The board is entitled to have a second opinion in legal counsel regarding employees.”

Hansen replied: “The public—and I—are entitled to understand what you’re looking for and why you’re hiring this. It’s not a vacuum. Transparency is an important piece of public entities like the county. And that’s why all these people are here—because they want to know what’s going on.”

“These refer to very personal employment subjects,” Mijares said, “and it’s very sensitive in nature. So we’re going to seek outside counsel to get some advice on how we should handle these two issues.”

“I’ve been here for seven years,” Hansen said, “and we’ve handled some very sensitive issues without going to outside counsel. We have a very competent HR team—I’ll repeat that again—and a very competent legal team. So I’m not sure why we’re spending more money to get outside counsel. This is the beginning of unnecessary spending.”

The public session lasted less than five minutes before the board entered executive session.

After returning, the board appointed Julie Andress as interim county attorney and Leslie Quon as interim county manager. Andress, who has served with the county since 2014, brings experience in public law and litigation, according to a statement from the county, while Quon, a longtime HR director, brings 28 years of experience in human resources and strategic planning, including 12 years in local government operations.

Commissioners explain their positions

During Wednesday’s regular board meeting, Commissioners Mijares and Hansen addressed the public directly, offering their perspectives the day after the accepted resignations.

Mijares described the resignations as the result of a difficult working dynamic, dating back to Rodriguez’s hiring shortly before Mijares and former commissioner Rick Dunlap joined the board in late 2022.

“I was surprised the former board decided to go ahead and move forward with that hire knowing the person they were putting in place was only going to be in their service for just three months,” Mijares said. “I viewed it as a sign of disrespect and contempt for the incoming board—and maybe I shouldn’t have viewed it that way—but the fact is we could have waited.”

He said the mismatch between new commissioners and a relatively inexperienced county manager created tension that spread throughout.

“Everybody saw it. It started to affect our staff and it started to bother everybody,” he said. “We all tried to work it out and be successful, but it just didn’t work out.”

Mijares also emphasized that the county manager position is not one chosen by the public, but serves at the discretion of the board.

“This is not a popularity contest,” he said. “It is the board’s prerogative to surround themselves with people that they really feel comfortable with and who share their vision. That’s not unusual.”

He praised the new interim county manager and interim County Attorney Julie Andress for stepping into leadership roles and expressed hope that the board could “begin the rebuilding phase.”

Commissioner Sue Hansen followed by praising the three departing leaders and making it clear she did not support their resignations.

“Frank, our former county manager, was a man of character and integrity,” she said. “In a very short six months, Frank instilled a level of trust in this organization. His leadership and communication skills were above reproach.”

Hansen called Whitmore’s legal experience unmatched and irreplaceable and said that the resignation of Sanchez created “a huge void in institutional knowledge.”

“These three professionals have left a void that we will attempt to replace so the county can resume the business of the people,” Hansen said.

She added that she was not involved in the decision to ask for Rodriguez or Whitmore’s resignation and was not made aware of the request before it happened.

“I was not complicit, nor was I consulted… Nor do I support it now.”

Despite the divide, Hansen said she was committed to moving forward with the business of the county and working with her fellow commissioners where possible.

“We don’t have to like each other or go to lunch together,” she said. “But we have 44,000 people in our county. All of them need representation—not just a portion. And I intend to do that.”

The Montrose Business Times was unable to reach Rodriguez and Mijares for further comment.

Community responds Wednesday

While public comment was not allowed during Tuesday’s special session, residents packed the room again Wednesday morning during the board’s regularly scheduled meeting to voice their thoughts on the resignations and the direction of Montrose County leadership. The lengthy public comment period featured a wide range of viewpoints—from support for Mijares and Pond, to sharp rebukes, and concerns about transparency, professionalism and public trust.

One common theme was talk of a potential recall election for Mijares and Pond this summer.

Michael Badagliacco defended Mijares and Pond, saying criticism of their actions was “manufactured and largely unjustified.”

“Let the commissioners do their jobs,” he said. “Those screaming for a recall are the same ones who demanded that the county manager and public health director be given a chance to prove themselves. Can anyone say hypocrites? I will.”

Badagliacco added that changes in top leadership are common and should not be treated as scandalous, referencing past boards that made similar moves.

Others strongly disagreed. Ray Langston, former chair for the local GOP addressed the board directly, calling the situation “unacceptable.”

“You both created such a toxic environment that there was no way those people could serve you,” he said to Mijares and Pond. “I hope you enjoy your little power trip. I think it would be well worthwhile for the citizens of this county to remove you both in a recall election.”

Sandy Head, executive director of the Montrose Economic Development Corporation, spoke, revealing that the EDC would now limit Montrose County’s representation on its board.

“The Board of Directors for Montrose Economic Development Corporation have made the decision that the seat that is available for the county on our board will be open exclusively to Commissioner Hansen until such time that this county comes around,” Head said.

Mijares has served on that board until now.

“Frank Rodriguez, Marti Whitmore, and Emily [Sanchez] were incredibly valuable employees,” Head said. “The (Tuesday special meeting) should not have happened.”

Nancy Benitez, a Republican precinct committee person, said she was disappointed in Mijares and Pond for stripping Hansen of the board chair position and not standing by her experience.

“I voted for you, Scott, and I trusted that you would do the right thing,” she said. “But I am disappointed.”

Longtime Western Slope resident Jennifer Rober criticized the board’s transparency and priorities, including its decision to seek outside counsel while firing experienced staff.

“You’re also wasting expertise,” she said. “The person on your board with the expertise is usually the dissenting voter, which tells me a whole lot about what you know and what you don’t know.”

Scott Stryker, owner of Stryker & Company, a contractor currently working on the county’s North Campus project, warned the board about the long-term reputational effects of leadership instability.

“There’s a big giant rock that’s been thrown into the pond,” Stryker said. “When we put out an application for a new county manager or assistant county manager, the quality of people that may apply could go down. They see the chaos and they don’t want to be a part of it.”

More speakers shared their perspectives both in support of and in opposition to the actions taken by Mijares and Pond.

Some urged the board to restore public trust, while others called for unity and an end to what they viewed as manufactured outrage. The commissioners did not directly respond to any of the comments.

A pattern of abrupt decision-making

The resignations follow weeks of internal conflict and mounting public scrutiny. Earlier this month, Mijares and Pond reversed course on the appointment of Public Health Director Dr. Mirza Ahmed, reclassifying his title as “interim” despite having previously voted to approve his full-time appointment.

In an interview with the MBT, Mijares said Ahmed was not a doctor by U.S. standards and raised concerns about his qualifications. Rodriguez pushed back, noting that the process was competitive and transparent. He invited the commissioners to meet with Ahmed in person, before the hire occurred. Mijares didn’t show up, and actually voted to approve the hire when it came to a vote in a later meeting.

At the time when Ahmed’s title was reclassified, Hansen called the reversal “deeply disappointing” and said it undermined staff and process. Several public commenters at recent meetings also questioned the commissioners’ handling of the matter and whether political motives were at play.

Rodriguez, who had been county manager for only a short time, submitted his resignation Monday morning. In a statement posted to Facebook, he wrote:

“This morning, Commissioners Mijares and Pond asked for my resignation; based on a misalignment of cultural values, for the best interest of the County, I decided to accept.”

He noted his resignation would be effective at the close of business Wednesday and that he would lose access to his work email and phone after 5 p.m. Tuesday.

“It has been an honor to serve each of you in the capacity of County Manager,” he wrote. “In my short time, I was humbled by the amazing dedication of Montrose County Employees and their selfless commitment to our County.”

He closed his statement with a quote:

“If you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”

The county has not announced a timeline for hiring permanent replacements.

The North Campus project

Editor’s note: This piece first appeared as a sidebar in our weekly publication.

Montrose County’s $24 million North Campus project—a new facility that will house Public Health, Human Services, and several administrative departments—was officially approved in December 2024 after years of planning and analysis. The project was launched to replace the aging South Campus, a 1960s-era facility facing an estimated $49 million in repair needs.

But in recent weeks, discussion surrounding the project became contentious, as Commissioners Scott Mijares expressed concern over the cost and questioned whether it should proceed.

Facilities Director Jennifer Murray said Mijares took a tour of the South Campus last Thursday. She  walked Mijares through the structure’s deteriorating condition.

“(The planning of the new north campus) was a very strategic and purposeful process,” Murray said. “We deferred some maintenance (at the south campus) because we were looking ahead to the new facility.”

Mijares also noted that he had attempted to initiate a 45-day pause on the project to reassess its viability but was unable to gain support from fellow commissioners at the time. After consulting with contractor Scott Stryker, he said he learned that pausing the project would have cost the county a reported $3 million, making a delay financially impractical.

“What struck me was the environment, especially for workers in child and family services,” Mijares said. “It was gloomy, dingy—I wouldn’t want to have to work there.”

“The structural issues I was aware of. But what struck me was the environment, especially for workers in child and family services,” he said. “It was gloomy, dingy—I wouldn’t want to have to work there.”

He acknowledged financial concerns remained, but added, “We’ll do what we have to do… I think it’s important that these employees have a bright spot to work in.”

Commissioner Sue Hansen responded, saying the debate surrounding the North Campus added unnecessary stress to county staff and confusion among the public.

“Let’s get our information correct and then move forward,” Hansen said. “We’ve all been wondering—are we going forward or not?”

She emphasized that she had never wanted to govern by simply undoing previous boards’ decisions. “That’s unproductive,” she said. “Let’s move forward.”

Mijares, in turn, defended his decision to publicly question the project.

“I tried to take a deep dive and I wasn’t allowed to,” he said, referring to a failed motion for a 45-day pause. “We work in a public forum… We don’t do things in the dark. We do things in the light.”

Construction has since resumed, and Mijares confirmed the county will move forward with the project.

Commissioner Sean Pond, who has frequently aligned with Mijares in recent votes, pushed back against being grouped in with his colleagues.

“I would appreciate if my fellow commissioners and the people in here would stop linking me in with the other two,” Pond said. “My votes are my own.”

Justin Tubbs is the Montrose Business Times editor. He can be reached by email at justin@montrosebusinesstimes.com or by phone at 970-765-0915 or mobile at 254-246-2260.